News Release: Midland Riverdays Festival back July 18 & 19

The Midland Area Community Foundation’s Riverdays Festival will return to Chippewassee Park in Midland on July 18 and 19.

The free outdoor event includes live music, kids concerts, a petting zoo & pony rides, free kayak tours, a dog agility show, a mud volleyball tournament, beer & wine tasting, riverboat rides and several other activities for children and adults. New events for this year include an art auction and breakfast on the riverboat, both scheduled for Saturday.

All entertainment and kid’s activities are free of charge. Food, beer & wine tasting and riverboat tickets do require a fee.

The event begins at 5:00pm on Friday, July 18. Evening entertainment includes live music from the Kari Lynch Band, Brinley Addington, and Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, who will all perform on the main stage at Chippewassee Park. Saturday night artists include the Shelagh Brown Band, Kris Hitchcock & Small Town Son, and Brandon Chase.

Presenting sponsor Gerace Construction plans to bring back their popular Playhouse Build event, where children will help build a one of a kind playhouse and can enter a drawing for a chance to win the completed structure.

According to Gerace CEO Tom Valent, sponsoring Riverdays was a natural fit for the construction company.

“We wanted to give back to the community that has supported us for the past 51 years, and Riverdays is a wonderful community event with a lot of history,” said Valent. “I love that it gets people together outdoors, utilizing Midland’s riverfront area. With community support, Gerace built the Tridge nearly 35 years ago. All these years later, it’s great to see the structure still so well-used and a big part of downtown events like Riverdays.”

While Gerace Construction and other community sponsors help to fund the event, the Midland Area Community Foundation plans and organizes all activities during Riverdays.

“We have an amazing Riverdays committee made up of local professionals who are passionate about the event,” said Riverdays Co-chair Dave Kell. “There’s a great variety of activities for 2014 – something for everyone in the family to enjoy. We’re also excited to unveil a new layout, moving the main stage closer to the fireworks area. No more moving your chairs or blankets after the concert on Saturday evening, just wait until dark and enjoy an incredible fireworks show.”

Food & beverage vendors will be available throughout the weekend, including Tropical Smoothie Café, Domino’s Pizza, Great Lakes Ice Cream, Kettle Corn, The Crave Cave, The Crispy Crab, and Spanky’s Franks. A BBQ chicken dinner benefiting the Midland Lions Club is also planned for Saturday evening.

More details about Riverdays, including a full schedule, can be found online at www.riverdaysmidland.com or by contacting MACF at 989.839.9661